Grub Street New York

Top Chef Dale Talde's namesake Talde restaurant has scarcely been peddling its Asian fusion for a month, but we already have word that Talde and his partners have expansion plans. Park Slope Patch has it that the toque and his co-restaurateurs (John Bush and David Massoni of Thistle Hill Tavern) are taking over the former Aunt Suzie's space on Fifth Avenue between Carroll Street and Garfield Place. They're planning a somewhat different concept than Talde — which has reportedly been popping off since opening — and are vague on details. One way or another, these guys are out to spruce up the Slope; expect a spring opening for this one. [Park Slope Patch]

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Filed Under: empire of the slope, coming soon, dale talde, empire building, openings, talde

Sorry, but how depressing! Anne Hathaway could have Champagne and caviar anywhere she wants, yet she chose Housing Works Bookstore Café in Soho — a great, do-gooder hang if you're looking for Lolita for a quarter and Lipton tea for a dollar — for her engagement celebration. People reports that, "Guests noshed on vegan burgers and cupcakes (Hathaway is a vegetarian)." Wow, she really knows how to have a good time. Where's the wedding — The Brooklyn Detention Complex? [People]

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Filed Under: really, housing works

Flatiron District: Alison Price Becker's Alison Eighteen wants to be the new Elaine's (they've been getting lots of patrons from the now-closed haunt). To that end, Becker will offer roundtable dinners and Criterion Collection movie nights coming up. [Paper ]
For Valentine’s Day evening only, La Birreria will offer a $75 four-course tasting menu with menu items such as grilled pork tenderloin and housemade cannelloni with ricotta, maitake mushrooms, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and bechamel, and more. [Grub Street]
Other Eataly restaurants will also be offering prix fixe menus (and reservations!) for Valentine’s Day. Le Verdure ($50), Il Pesce ($75), and La Piazza ($75) will all offer four-course tasting menus and reservations. À la carte options will not be available at these restaurants. [Grub Street]

Hell’s Kitchen: The February dinner series at Casa Nonna will highlight the Emilia-Romagna Region and feature dishes like artisanal Italian ham in gnocco frito (fried gnocchi), primi-strichetti all’baccala con porri, and cotoletta alla Bolognese (lightly breaded veal cutlet with ham and Parmesan cheeses). A four-course prix fixe menu is available for $44. [Grub Street]
Midtown: Lantern’s Keep is commemorating War Horse’s Oscar nomination and Broadway production with their War Horse cocktail, which includes a half-ounce blanc vermouth, a half-ounce cacao, eight dashes of angostura bitters, one-and-three-quarter-ounces blended scotch, and a quarter-ounce laphroaig or peat monster single malt scotch, stirred and topped with an orange twist. [Grub Street]
Murray Hill: On February 28, Culintro will host Make It to the Top at the Gabarron Foundation, where three nationally acclaimed chefs — Harold Dieterle of Perilla and Kin Shop, Gavin Kaysen of Cafe Boulud, and Rory Schepisi of Boot Hill Saloon — will share personal anecdotes and words of wisdom on what it takes to make it as acclaimed chefs. Anne McBride, who is currently the director of the Experimental Cuisine Collective at NYU Food Studies and the director for the Strategic Initiatives Group at the Culinary Institute of America, will moderate this discussion. [Grub Street]
Upper East Side: Agata & Valentina will offer a Valentine’s Day $65 takeout prix fixe dinner for two, featuring stuffed mushrooms, grilled cornish hens, and risotto, and a choice of two desserts, including chocolate-covered strawberries or tartufo of chocolate cake and hazelnut cream. They will also offer a special DIY basket with private-label artisanal pastas directly imported from Italy, three housemade sauces, and a fresh chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano ($45 to $55), as well as a chocolate lover’s basket ($60). [Grub Street]
Upper West Side: Chocolate Works, a new candy store on the corner of 91st Street and Amsterdam Avenue, is allegedly luring in costumers with free chocolate truffles for its opening. According to reports, the free candy free-for-all will continue until at least Wednesday. And just in time for Valentine’s Day. [West Side Rag]

Filed Under: neighborhood watch, agata valentina, alison eighteen, casa nonna, char no 4, chocolate works, la birreria, lanterns keep, le verdure il, pesce la piazza